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What We Learned from 2013: Purduehttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/what-we-learned-from-2013-purdue/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/what-we-learned-from-2013-purdue/#respondFri, 20 Jun 2014 17:30:11 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4707]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

In case you’ve missed it, I’ve been going through all the 2013 games while waiting for Notre Dame football to start up again. I’ve been picking something that each game can teach the team in preparation for the newest Fighting Irish team. After looking at the new pistol formation against Temple and examining inconsistent defense against Michigan, I turned to the third game on the 2013 slate: Purdue.

When talking about a team’s performance, the final result is far from the entire picture. The game plan, the execution, the margin of victory, and the quality of opponent obviously all factor in. I think most people would agree that the 2005 USC game was one of Notre Dame’s best-played games of the Charlie Weis era, which is as depressing as it is true.

While as a fan I’ll always take a win over a loss, I think the Purdue game was the worst game of the 2013 season. The Boilermakers lost to Cincinnati by 35, Wisconsin by 31, Northern Illinois by 31, Nebraska by 37, Ohio State by 56, Iowa by 24, Penn State by 24, and Indiana by 20. Their only win of the season was a six-point squeaker over FCS Indiana State.

That being said, Notre Dame deserves credit for overcoming its sluggish start and finding a way to win. The last two entries, I’ve discussed what the team can learn from each of its games. In this instance, they learned in the middle of the game in order to pull out a victory.

What We Learned from Purdue: Keeping the Defense Off Balance

“Our guys … they’re going a good job recognizing formations and some tendencies out of formations.”

At halftime, with his 21-point underdog team up 10-3, Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell succinctly explained why the Boilermakers had been able to shut down the Irish offense.

In the first half, Purdue’s defenders looked faster than their Notre Dame counterparts. While the Irish had the clear edge in actual athleticism, Purdue made up for it by knowing what was going to happen before it actually happened.

The Purdue defense knew Notre Dame’s tendencies and gambled on them. They knew that in the first two games, the Irish ran 70% of the time while in the pistol and 19% of the time in single-back shotgun.

They also knew Notre Dame likes to call short plays on first down, especially in the first half. Half of their passing plays on first down in the season were either curls or bubble screens. The Purdue defenders played aggressively to cut down on runs and short passes, especially out of the pistol.

There was a play that you might remember with 9 minutes left in the second quarter. With McDaniel in the pistol on first down, Rees took one step back and threw a pretty weak pass to Chris Brown on an out route. Purdue corner Ricardo Allen read Rees’ eyes the whole way, jumped the route, and should have had an interception for a touchdown.

Purdue’s defense played this way the entire game. The linebackers played in tight on the pistol, often blitzing to disrupt the run game. In shotgun, they backed off more and blitzed less.

On the other end, Purdue found success by mixing up their looks on the offensive end. On each play the Boilermakers put multiple men in motion, they changed up formations, deviating unpredictably between run and pass. They threw out screens, scrambles, end-arounds, swing passes, options.

Their biggest aim was to exploit the most glaring weakness of the Irish defense: the inside linebackers. Their different looks prohibited the linebackers from getting the same jumps the Purdue defenders were getting, leaving them a step behind in coverage or pursuit. Taking advantage of these mismatches, running back Akeem Hunt racked up nine receptions for 72 yards.

So the biggest difference in the first half was keeping the defenses off balance: Purdue did it masterfully on their first drive while their defense was a step ahead of Notre Dame’s offense. On the play I mentioned earlier, Kirk Herbstreit even mentioned that Ricardo Allen cut the route before the receiver did.

Turning It Around

I said earlier that Notre Dame deserved credit for its reversal in the game. They recognized what needed to be fixed and scored 28 points in the second half. And they did it by mixing up their looks.

I mentioned that in the first two games Notre Dame rushed only 19% of the time in ace shotgun and Purdue played much looser off the line when Notre Dame showed that look. However, in this game, the Irish ran 43% of the time from shotgun – 10 carries for 51 yards. This was much better than the pistol’s 18 carries for 46 yards.

They also finally started to exploit the deep part of the field, which is what Purdue sacrificed for their aggression. This play obviously comes to mind, the first of a drive in the fourth quarter.

On first down, Purdue is expecting the short pass, but instead Daniels burns his man for the 82-yard touchdown reception to take the lead. Because Purdue was loading the box, they had no safety help to cover the mismatch.

Throughout the half, Notre Dame also used motion to change up formations effectively. On the first drive of the third quarter at the Purdue 28 yard line, Rees changes from pistol to empty, hitting TJ Jones deep to the 1. Purdue expected a short play from pistol on 1st and 10, but instead got a deep pattern.

And while Notre Dame mixed up their second-half offense to great success, Purdue’s stagnated. Their first drive of the third quarter was another solid blend of plays, but after that touchdown drive, they had 21 more plays in the game. Seventeen of them were passes.

While Notre Dame learned from its first-half mistakes, it seems Purdue couldn’t remember its early success, and that might have made the difference in the game. Final score: Notre Dame 31, Purdue 24.

Looking to 2014

By definition, a mobile quarterback creates a lot more options for a defense to think about. No offense to Tommy Rees’ 1-yard sneak from the empty set, but that play will probably be called more often next year. Add in the arm strength that either Golson or Zaire can offer, and Brian Kelly doesn’t even have to make any huge changes to already see an improvement in the dynamism of his offensive sets.

However, that doesn’t mean there can’t be even more improvement. 2012’s offense was decent but not spectacular, which has something to do with handing the reins over to a first-year quarterback. Hopefully the 2014 quarterback can handle more responsibilities than 2012 Golson.

Having a great running back is also huge to diversify your looks. Alabama is the king of this: teams are so worried about T.J. Yeldon or Eddie Lacy or Trent Richardson or Mark Ingram that they get burned on the play action.

I’m not sure Notre Dame has that type of playmaker yet, but Tarean Folston came into his own at the end of 2013, and don’t forget about Greg Bryant. That duo can be formidable, freeing up opportunities for the quarterback to make a play.

On the defensive end, having the instincts and experience to read plays might be a struggle for the linebackers and safeties. I suspect we’ll see some freshmen or first-year sophomores see significant time at these positions, so it might take some time to learn their positions. However, Jaylon Smith got acclimated pretty fast last year, so it’s not out of the question to see young players play above their age.

On both offense and defense, there hasn’t been a whole lot of unpredictability and diversity over the last few years, with the preference on simplicity and stability. With a new quarterback in the backfield and a new defensive coordinator on the sidelines, don’t be surprised if that changes in 2014.

Reviewing Old Lessons: Pistol and Empty

Purdue was an interesting game because it was the opposite of what we’ve seen against Temple and Michigan. I think this is due to Purdue catching on to the tendencies of each formation and exploiting them.

The pistol is at its best when it utilizes both run and pass effectively. Against Temple, Amir Carlisle or George Atkinson would burn them with the run, and then DaVaris Daniels and TJ Jones would lay down the hammer with a big play-action reception.

Against Purdue, the Irish increased their pistol run-share from 70% to 78%. Of the five passes from pistol, only one was play action, a mid-range route that was a poor throw.

Also, the empty set was very effective against Purdue. The empty has always been a big-play do-or-die for Notre Dame, and the over-the-top pass was how the Irish held off Purdue’s aggressive defense.

For these reasons, I suspect this game’s numbers to be an aberration, and the overall trend is still highly in favor of the pistol. But perhaps I’m wrong, and we’ll see moving forward.

On the whole, the Irish made fewer mistakes on defense, especially with their assignments. In particular, I thought Prince Shembo played a smart game on the edge, containing mobile quarterback Rob Henry, pass rushing effectively, and closing off the outside run game.

There were fewer missed tackles, but Purdue’s second touchdown comes to mind as a particularly frustrating case. And as I mentioned before, the inside linebackers often struggled with reads and covering Akeem Hunt out of the backfield. Overall, though, the defense definitely made fewer big errors than the previous game.

The demoralizing long conversions continued, though, with Purdue converting third downs from 7, 11, 7, 12, and 7. They also scored their last touchdown on a 4th and 7. Oftentimes these 3rd and longs were converted when the Irish blitzed. Usually the blitz was effective for Notre Dame this game, but it did come back to haunt them when leaving corners on their own.

Especially against teams like Purdue, I think Notre Dame should be able to rely on its hyped linemen to generate pressure. This will be an interesting development for 2014, especially with VanGorder’s scheme and a new-look line.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/what-we-learned-from-2013-purdue/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-06-20 at 9.28.51 PMcraigjchvalTwo Domers On Hard Knocks?https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/two-domers-on-hard-knocks/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/two-domers-on-hard-knocks/#respondFri, 13 Jun 2014 05:35:20 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4702]]>The yearly dance to decide what NFL team will participate in NFL Films and HBO’s award-winning series Hard Knocks is said to be decided. According to multiple sources, the Atlanta Falcons are allowing cameras to film their every move during training camp on this season’s production.

Aside from having the opportunity to shadow a team named after a member of the Falco genus (I’m not talking about Shane Falco), there are also a few reasons to watch the program that happen to deal with your Notre Dame fandom.

During the production, NFL Films may choose to highlight two Notre Dame alums throughout filming.

Zeke Motta

After a year in the defensive secondary for the Falcons, Zeke Motta looks to regain form after a season-ending neck surgery in 2013. Motta’s story would be an interesting one for NFL Films and fans alike to look into as he was not expected to make the dress list for a majority of the season last year, yet found himself on the gridiron on most Sunday’s last season.

MOTTA HIGHLIGHTS

Prince Shembo

The angle that NFL Films chooses to go to for each of its Hard Knocks renditions is looking through the lens of the rookies fighting for a roster spot, Prince Shembo’s story would be no different. I expect to see a healthy amount of Shembo on camera during the program’s run this fall and hope he can find a spot on the team so we don’t have to see the dreaded (but unbelievably popular) scene in which the general manager, in this case Thomas Dimitroff, asks the play to hand in their playbook because they have been released from the roster.

SHEMBO HIGHLIGHTS

Look for Motta, Shembo and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons squad on HBO as we move towards the fall and the beginning of the football season.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/two-domers-on-hard-knocks/feed/0Falconsboyaaronsidsource: source: What We Learned from 2013: Michiganhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/what-we-learned-from-2013-michigan/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/what-we-learned-from-2013-michigan/#respondThu, 12 Jun 2014 22:09:15 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4699]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

With more than two months to sit and wait for Notre Dame football to resume, I have taken it upon myself to revisit the 2013 slate of games and see what each game can teach us about the team and what that means for the next iteration of Fighting Irish football. After discussing the effectiveness of different formations during the Temple game, the logical step was to move on to Michigan.

But this was a game that I was not too keen to review. I saw this matchup in person, and was not particularly interested in hearing Brent and Kirk’s (and Eminem’s) take on it.

I especially did not enjoy this game because I have a well-documented hatred of Michigan, and it doesn’t help that it seems we always lose to them when they’re just awful. Here are Michigan’s records from recent years when they beat us:

The other three wins are against Nebraska, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech (interestingly, Michigan’s last three games of 2011).

So yeah, this loss was infuriating, even nine months later. When the Irish take the field for the last time in the foreseeable future against the Wolverines this coming season, what can they take away from the 2013 game to get a modicum of redemption?

Last week against Temple, I focused on the offensive side of the ball. It’s hard to pin blame for the loss against Michigan because the offense only scored 23 and the defense gave up 41. I’m going to focus on the defense because it’s hard to win a game when you give up 41 points.

Fending off Fitz

It was clear from the get-go that the main priority for the Irish defense was to stop heralded halfback Fitzgerald Toussaint, and they did very well in this department, despite the defense giving up 41 points and 460 yards.

The thing is the defense looked very good in spurts, but breakdowns would give Michigan a huge boost. Not counting Michigan’s last garbage drive, 49% of their plays only yielded three yards or fewer. The Irish stopping the run very well early on – here’s how Michigan started the game on the ground.

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 0 yards

Jeremy Gallon rush for 14 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 0 yards

Dennis Norfleet rush for 1 yard

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 2 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 14 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 2 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 4 yards

Devin Gardner rush for -1 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 4 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for 3 yards

Fitzgerald Toussaint rush for -5 yards

Devin Gardner rush for 2 yards (Touchdown)

Starting the game, Michigan had 13 rushes for 40 yards. Take out the two big runs and it’s 11 rushes for 12 yards. I think Notre Dame was so focused on stopping Fitzgerald Toussaint that Michigan was able to kill the Irish with the long plays. Even when your running game isn’t working, it can still help the passing game.

But, a positive takeaway from this performance was that Notre Dame was able to hold down Toussaint. A big part of that was the emergence of Jaylon Smith in only his second game. His speed on the edge, as well as his ability to shed blocks and finish tackles, helped tremendously. And despite some missed tackles (we’ll get to that), the safeties made some solid plays getting into the backfield to stop the run.

Overall, Toussaint only averaged 3.2 yards per carry, and just four of his 22 carries were for longer than four yards. But although the star running back was held in check, the big play was the deciding factor in this game, leading to another Michigan quarterback who got early-season Heisman hype before fading off into obscurity.

What We Learned from Michigan: Giving up the Big Play

You probably remember Michigan’s first touchdown of the game. In case you don’t:

Gallon was so wide open that there’s clearly a missed coverage assignment. This was a play action call after Toussaint’s first big run of the day (that 14 yarder), so maybe somebody bit on the fake and couldn’t return to their zone. That’s what the ground game can do for you. This happened on Gallon’s third touchdown reception of the game, as well, giving him an easy score.

But the more frustrating component of this play is obviously the tackling. To win a football game, you absolutely have to tackle well, and one missed tackle (or four on that play) can lead to a huge gain.

Missed assignments and missed tackling were absolutely huge on Michigan’s last touchdown drive especially. The Irish had all the momentum at the time, scoring 10 straight points, beginning with a Stephon Tuitt interception for a touchdown. Notre Dame would start a series well, but then give up a huge gain.

On first down in that drive, Michigan ran five plays, combining for -2 yards. But despite showing promise early on in a series, the Irish would have another breakdown. On the second play of the drive, Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for 22 yards, thanks to two missed tackles near the line of scrimmage. Two plays later, Touissant had a 31-yard reception on 2nd and 9 because he was completely uncovered out of the backfield.

Notre Dame showed the ability to stop Michigan’s offense for most of the game, but plays like this proved to be the team’s downfall. After two third-down pass interferences (one of which was an awful, awful, hellacious call), Michigan punched it in for the dagger.

To complement the missed assignment theme, another lesson of the game was overpursuit and lack of containment by the Irish. Even when Notre Dame was stopping the ground game early, Michigan got 14 yards on that Gallon reverse because of overpursuit on the play.

Much of Gardner’s success running the ball came from lack of containment and failure on the part of the designated spy: his touchdown run, his 35-yard run in the second quarter, his 7-yard run the play before that, his 11-yard scramble to start the third quarter, and his 10-yard designed run on 3rd and 8 late in the third.

And passing the ball, Gardner was able to move out of the pocket and let his guys get open because no one was there to keep him contained. It seemed when Notre Dame only sent three or four guys, he had all day to throw, and when they sent six or seven, he either got the pass off quick enough or bought some time when containment broke down.

Looking to 2014

The 2012 Notre Dame defense prided itself on not giving up the big play, and that was certainly the philosophy of Bob Diaco’s conservative defense. I’d like to think this was an aberration of an early-season game.

But looking forward to 2014 is intriguing because, of course, Notre Dame has a new defensive coordinator in Brian VanGorder. VanGorder has had some very impressive stops along his career, especially at Georgia in the early 2000s.

VanGorder runs a very different defensive system than Diaco did. The 2012 defense prided itself on its “bend-don’t-break” mentality, giving up very few points (second in the nation) even if the yardage stats weren’t as good. That type of defense required fundamental, disciplined football that wouldn’t give up the big play. This philosophy, and its tremendous success in 2012, makes the 2013 Michigan game that much more frustrating.

VanGorder’s defense is much more aggressive and complex. The defense that goes for the big play is more susceptible to giving up the big play. Notre Dame gained only 17 turnovers in 2013 – 103rd in the nation. If VanGorder’s system bumps that number up, improving the “big play” defense might not be as big of a priority.

I have no predilection toward one system or another – whichever one works. But even if Notre Dame’s new-look defense makes a name for itself with its aggression, the fact remains that just one big play can undo the solid defense that came before it.

Like most Irish fans, I’m very excited to see what VanGorder had to offer. After 2012 saw the best Notre Dame defense in recent memory, hopefully he can create a similarly fearsome unit.

Reviewing Old Lessons: Pistol vs. Empty

For the Temple game, the lesson was how the Irish could find success with the versatility of the pistol formation, especially if it’s not derailed by the empty set. Here’s how the formations broke down against Michigan.

Note on these numbers: I calculate them myself while watching the game, which is why they might be a yard or two off from the official totals thanks to ambiguous spotting. I also, as noted, count sacks as passing plays.

Once again, the pistol was (by far) the best formation. Unfortunately, it was only used on 28% of plays, as compared to 49% from the Temple game. The empty set saw a whopping 37% of plays, as compared to 17% from the previous game.

Much of that can be attributed to the fact that 10 of Notre Dame’s last 12 plays were from the empty set (mostly the last drive, during which the Irish were down 11 with under 4 minutes left). One might think that skews the numbers to make the empty set look worse than it actually was. In fact, it was the opposite.

Since they were up two scores at the end of the game, Michigan played in a shell on the last drive, letting Rees complete 7-12 yard passes from the empty set. Here’s how the numbers break down:

Empty set before final drive:

6-18 passing for 69 yards (3.8 YPA), INT

Empty set during final drive:

6-8 passing for 59 yards (7.4 YPA) (sack counts as pass)

So while the game was still within reach, the Irish went to the empty set 18 times and completed only a third of those passes. Unlike last game, it was not used primarily as a third-and-long formation. Of those 18 plays, only two were on third down.

I’m curious to see how this plays out as I continue to revisit the 2013 season in preparation for 2014. I was a little envious of the way Michigan mixed up their offensive formations between pistol, ace shotgun, ace backfield under center, I-formation, and a pistol strong with a fullback (no empty sets).

Coach Kelly made the move to add the pistol in 2013, and I hope he continues to increase its presence moving forward. I am especially excited to see how Golson or Zaire can handle the reins.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/what-we-learned-from-2013-michigan/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-06-13 at 2.08.38 AMcraigjchvalWhat We Learned from 2013: Templehttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/what-we-learned-from-2013-temple/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/what-we-learned-from-2013-temple/#respondSun, 08 Jun 2014 09:18:13 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4693]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

Football has an excruciatingly long offseason, and it doesn’t help that good news rarely comes between January and August. Thankfully, this particular offseason has been pretty uneventful.

Since there are still two and a half months until the season begins, I decided to spend that time looking back at 2013. What did each game teach us, and how can that help the Irish in ’14?

Of course it makes sense to start with the season opener, in which Notre Dame defeated the visiting Temple Owls 28-6.

What We Learned from Temple: Pistol Packing

If you remember, Temple was the first game that saw the Irish extensively utilize the pistol formation in its offense, and to great success. This clip shows the first touchdown of the season, and as you can see, George Atkinson is lined up behind Tommy Rees with three receivers wide.

After two successful running plays, the Irish go to play action, and the far-side safety bites a little on the fake. He is then unable to help his corner on DaVaris Daniels, who beats his man to get in the end zone.

While maybe not to that level every time, the pistol was a tremendous success from the start. Not counting the last three Irish drives of “garbage time,” here are the numbers.

The pistol accounted for just under half of the plays in the game and yielded more yards than the three other formations combined, even though Notre Dame mostly ran from pistol and passed from shotgun.

Since Notre Dame was so successful running out of the pistol (8 yards per carry), that made the passing game that much more dangerous, resulting in a highly efficient passing threat.

Not So Hot: Empty Set

Now, the Irish offense put on a pretty good clinic in its first game of the season, but some wondered why they couldn’t do more. Temple was 2-10 in 2013, giving up 29.8 points per game in a mediocre American conference. Yet, they held the Irish to one score in the second half.

The answer lies again in formation. Here is a list of all the plays from the empty set in the game.

1st and 10 from the Temple 46 – incomplete pass

2nd and 10 from the Temple 46 – bubble screen for a loss of 1 yard

3rd and 11 from Temple 47 – incomplete pass

3rd and 5 from Temple 37 – incomplete pass

3rd and 7 from Temple 22 – incomplete pass

1st and 10 from ND 34 – 66 yard TD pass to Niklas

3rd and 6 from Temple 26 – incomplete pass

3rd and 9 from ND 33 – 6 yard pass to Carlisle

With the one notable exception, every play from the empty set was a failure. Every possession on which Notre Dame did not score ended in a failed third-down conversion from the empty set. (Once again, I am not counting last three garbage drives). Here are third downs in the game sorted by length.

3rd and 1 – Atkinson 4-yard run from pistol (GOOD)

3rd and 1 – Carlisle 3-yard run from pistol (GOOD)

3rd and 4 – 33-yard pass from ace shotgun (GOOD)

3rd and 5 – 11-yard pass from ace shotgun (GOOD)

3rd and 5 – incomplete pass from empty set (NO GOOD)

3rd and 6 – incomplete pass from empty set (NO GOOD)

3rd and 7 – incomplete pass from empty set (NO GOOD)

3rd and 9 – 6-yard pass from empty set (NO GOOD)

3rd and 11 – incomplete pass from empty set (NO GOOD)

So, yes, the empty set is used when there is a greater distance to the first down, but on 3rd and 4 or 5, the ace shotgun was successful. Why does removing the running back make such a difference?

If you look at the longest conversion of the game, the 3rd and 5 with 2:42 left in the third, Atkinson runs out of the backfield, too fast for the pursuing linebacker. Because Atkinson can be a pass target in any direction, the speedy back has a step up on his man and is able to beat him to the edge, receiving the pass and gaining 11 yards.

Having a running back in the backfield creates a lot more options that the defense has to account for: screens, draws, and a more unpredictable receiver. They can slant to the sideline, run in the flat, streak up the middle. When it’s just Tommy Rees back there, the defense can simply rush three and clog up the field.

Later in the same drive (first play of the 4th), the Irish have a 3rd and 7. Niklas stays in to block in the empty set, but Temple only rushes four. Their corners play tight since they’re close to the red zone, and there are three extra defenders to help in the defensive backfield. Rees tries to throw to a well-covered Chris Brown, but the pass falls incomplete.

Looking to 2014

Obviously, expect the pistol to be a big part of the playbook this coming season. It was used throughout 2013, and it offers much greater potential for a mobile quarterback. Maybe look for some read options and some bootlegs to throw defenses off their heels.

Since it has been a staple of the offense the last several years, don’t expect the empty set to go away, though. With a mobile quarterback, it does not create the exact same liabilities, as defenses have to account for QB draws, but rushing three with a QB spy could create the same headaches for the Irish offense.

The reason the play action worked so well against Temple was the threat of the running game over the course of the game. When the defense is trying so hard to stop your running backs, they can overlook your wide receivers over the top. When there is no running threat out of the empty set, you lose a great offensive weapon.

With a load of young talent on the offensive side of the ball, Notre Dame’s strength on offense will be its versatility. Since the pistol lets the running back get a forward start and the quarterback stay back behind the line, it is the formation that best utilizes this versatility. Expect either Golson or Zaire to be at their best from the pistol in 2014.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/what-we-learned-from-2013-temple/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-06-08 at 5.15.30 AMcraigjchvalFlanagan No Longer On Irish Sidelinehttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/flanagan-no-longer-on-irish-sideline/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/flanagan-no-longer-on-irish-sideline/#commentsThu, 05 Jun 2014 13:57:04 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4689]]>In a move that not many people were expecting (well, at least I wasn’t), NBC has reassigned Alex Flanagan from her post as the sideline reporter for Notre Dame football games to another position within the Network.

Flanagan sent out a tweet on Wednesday thanking everyone for her seven years at Notre Dame.

It's been a tremendous 7 years for which I am grateful. My comments regarding Notre Dame news. http://t.co/qZNPFepeGO

Flanagan joins the likes of Lewis Johnson and John Dockery as former Notre Dame football sideline reporters.

During Flanagan’s tenure in the position, many found her to be a perfect mixture of reporter and charm, the ideal concoction for a sports sideline reporter. Never one to shy away from asking the necessary question, Flanagan endeared herself to Notre Dame fans by the way she carried herself on game days, always willing to say a few words to fans and interact with them on social media.

In the past NBC has done a great job with filling this role with an individual who shares the passion for the game and understands what Notre Dame football means to the college football landscape.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/flanagan-no-longer-on-irish-sideline/feed/1notre-dame-nbcboyaaronsidND/UM Tickets Take A (Price) Hikehttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/ndum-tickets-take-a-price-hike/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/ndum-tickets-take-a-price-hike/#commentsTue, 03 Jun 2014 20:15:55 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4687]]>What does the price of a ticket mean? Well, on the surface, it dictates the price one must pay to obtain entrance to an event, but on the secondary market the ticket price shows the price people are willing to pay.

Recently, it’s been widely circulated that the Notre Dame – Michigan matchup on Sept. 6th at Notre Dame Stadium has some of the highest ticket prices on the secondary market. Sites such as CoachingSearch.com and TiqIQ have compiled listings using averages of tickets sold on the secondary market and highest priced ticket sold to come up with lists for the upcoming season.

On StubHub, a ticket marketplace, the cheapest ticket for the ND/UM clash is currently $419.95. No one should go crazy about the price, because if I learned anything from being watching numerous Pawn Stars marathons with my Dad, it’s that an asking price is different than the price the product will actually sell for. Oh by the way, I just want to mention that the asking price for a parking pass to the Michigan game will set you back $362.49 if you want to purchase it from StubHub.

It is a great honor to have the highest priced ticket with 80-some odd days to go until the season begins, but honestly, it just shows that the little Catholic University in Michiana continues to be relevant in all aspects of college football.

Take a quick look at the lowest price of tickets on the secondary market for Notre Dame home games this season (all prices come from StubHub):

Rice: $248.10

Michigan: $419.95

Stanford: $219.50

North Carolina: $170.00

Northwestern: $148.00

Louisville: $165.00

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/ndum-tickets-take-a-price-hike/feed/1ndstadiumnightboyaaronsidBettis’ Last Roadblockhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/bettis-last-roadblock/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/bettis-last-roadblock/#respondMon, 02 Jun 2014 20:03:05 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4682]]>At the University of Notre Dame, the school and athletic department pride themselves on graduating student-athletes and helping set each person up for the next 40 years.

In the recent article from Irish Eyes, Will Slattery looks into former Notre Dame football student-athlete Jerome Bettis’ pursuit of a degree from the University.

Slattery’s piece answers a few questions I’ve always wondered about, why did Bettis leave early without his degree and what pushes him to obtain it years after his retirement from the National Football League. Personally, the piece sheds light on a situation I have always been interested in and does a great job of showing the personal side of both Bettis and his collegiate coach, Lou Holtz.

Bettis’ desire to continue going after his degree even after leaving early for the NFL, winning a Super Bowl and being named to multiple Pro Bowl squads. For that, I admire him.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/bettis-last-roadblock/feed/04757576boyaaronsidThe Evan Sharpley Trading Cardhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/the-evan-sharpley-trading-card/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/the-evan-sharpley-trading-card/#respondTue, 20 May 2014 19:21:50 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4672]]>In a partnership between Upper Deck and the University of Notre Dame, we will be presenting special Upper Deck trading cards to five members of the Irish family. After the first card was presented to Jack Nolan (@NDJackNolan), we moved to our next recipient, former quarterback and baseball player, Evan Sharpley (@EvanSharpley).

Why Sharpley?

It’s actually pretty simple. Without the back and forth banter between Evan and I on twitter, this whole campaign would not have gotten off of the ground. See how the idea was started during a twitter conversation during last football season.

The Presentation

The presentation of the card to Evan Sharpley was by former Notre Dame football running back and current manager of football relations for the Monogram Club, Reggie Brooks (’99) .

Evan Sharpley with Reggie Brooks

The Card

Who will be the next member of the Notre Dame family to receive their very own Upper Deck trading card? Send your thoughts to @NDFootball on twitter with the hashtag #NDUpperDeck and you could win some special cards from Upper Deck.

Upper Deck Notre Dame Football Box Set

Celebrate the tradition of Notre Dame Football with a comprehensive Upper Deck trading card set featuring some of the most notable names in Fighting Irish history!

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/the-evan-sharpley-trading-card/feed/0BackSharpleyboyaaronsidsource: source: source: source: source: Early Rookie Prospectus: T.J. Joneshttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/early-rookie-prospectus-t-j-jones/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/early-rookie-prospectus-t-j-jones/#respondFri, 16 May 2014 17:10:46 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4667]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

The eighth and final former Irish player drafted in 2014, T.J. Jones joined the deep Lions receiving corps when Detroit chose him with the 13th pick in the sixth round (189 overall). Quarterback Matthew Stafford routinely throws between 4,500 and 5,000 yards in a season, and he’s got a good set of weapons from Calvin Johnson to Reggie Bush.

Jones was projected to go in the fourth or fifth round, so the Lions felt like they got a steal in round 6. Let’s take a look at how Jones will fit with Detroit.

Especially after signing Golden Tate in the offseason, wide receiver isn’t exactly an area of need for Detroit. Obviously Calvin Johnson is the best receiver in the league, and Tate is coming off a season with 64 receptions for 898 yards and five touchdowns.

When Nate Burleson got injured in a pizza takeout trip gone wrong, Detroit discovered they didn’t have a whole lot of depth at receiver after Johnson. Signing Tate helps, but if there are injury problems again, those depth guys can prove important.

Burleson signed with the Browns, but the Lions still have Kris Durham (38 receptions in 2013), Ryan Broyles, and Jeremy Ross. As deep as Detroit is at wide receiver, Jones’ No. 1 goal should be to make the top six receivers to get a roster spot.

If he does that, it won’t help to learn from one of the greatest receivers of all time, as well as a fellow Domer in Golden Tate. Although it will be tough to see time at receiver, Jones can be another one of those guys to see the field via special teams or an injury fill in.

With 1,108 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2013, Jones was possibly one of the most polished receivers in the draft. Scouts don’t think he has a remarkably high ceiling because of his speed and size, but he can probably fill in right away if other receivers experience injuries. His route running and catching ability can put him in that role right off the bat.

If Jones makes a good impression, he can see some time in the slot for Detroit. The Lions throw the ball around a lot and they have a lot of weapons, but Jones has the chance to potentially compete for that No. 3 or No. 4 receiver spot. He showed tremendous improvement over his Notre Dame career, so it might be fun to watch his growth in the NFL.

That’s it for my rookie prospectus series. Here are the rest of the entries.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/early-rookie-prospectus-t-j-jones/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-16 at 1.10.19 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Bennett Jacksonhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/early-rookie-prospectus-bennett-jackson/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/early-rookie-prospectus-bennett-jackson/#respondFri, 16 May 2014 00:09:58 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4664]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

The seventh of eight Irish players to get their name called in the draft, Bennett Jackson was picked by the Giants in the sixth round (11th pick, 187th overall). Jackson started every game his last two seasons at cornerback and showed good speed, agility, and explosiveness in the months leading up to the draft.

Of course, it’s unusual for sixth-rounders to look like starters the May before their rookie season, but let’s see how Jackson fits with the Giants.

2013 cornerback starters: Prince Amukamara, Terrell Thomas

The Giants upgraded their cornerback situation in free agency this offseason, picking up Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in favor of Terrell Thomas.

Barring a slew of injuries to the Giants’ secondary, I would be shocked to see Jackson starting in 2014. It’s hard enough for sixth-round picks to see time, let alone on teams with two cornerbacks who were picked 16th and 19th overall in their respective drafts.

Bennett Jackson isn’t going to beat out Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara as a rookie. That’s not a knock on Jackson, that’s just an unfortunate reality.

The guys he’s competing with for playing time (and a roster spot) are the other backups, and there’s some tough sledding there too. Jayron Hosley, Walter Thurmond, Trumaine McBride, and Zack Bowman all offer depth for a boosted Giants secondary that already finished 10th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game.

So what does that mean for Jackson? Well, he has a great opportunity to study under talented cornerbacks in the hopes of developing into a starting-caliber defensive back. Jackson’s greatest assets are his athleticism and explosiveness, which can be developed in his early seasons.

Jackson came to Notre Dame as a wide receiver, so he will be served by learning the position. His biggest weaknesses at Notre Dame were positional: coverage technique, instincts, and tackling. With his raw tools, tightening up his skills will go a long way.

What will help with that is if Jackson can contribute right away on special teams, which is very likely if he makes the roster. It’s an uphill battle to become an NFL starter for any late pick, but Jackson just might have the physical tools to make it happen with some experience.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/early-rookie-prospectus-bennett-jackson/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-15 at 8.08.58 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Prince Shembohttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/early-rookie-prospectus-prince-shembo/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/early-rookie-prospectus-prince-shembo/#commentsThu, 15 May 2014 00:15:18 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4661]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

Another Notre Dame player chosen a little sooner than expected, Prince Shembo went to the Falcons with the 139th pick (39th in fourth round) in the draft. Shembo was the highest drafted outside linebacker out of Notre Dame since Rocky Boiman in 2002.

Once you get to the fourth round, it’s less likely draft picks will find immediate playing time, but let’s look at how Shembo will be able to make an impact in Atlanta.

2013 outside linebacker starters: Joplo Bartu, Sean Weatherspoon

The Falcons added 3-4 looks to their defense in 2013, so some of their players are fluid with positioning between the ends and linebackers. One such player is Kroy Biermann, who is typically a defensive end, but practiced at outside backer before being injured for the 2013 season.

If Biermann spends most of his time at end, Shembo’s biggest competition will be with Joplo Bartu, who was the beneficiary of some of the Falcons’ injuries. As an undrafted rookie in 2013, Bartu was third on the team in tackles with 85.

Shembo will probably compete with Bartu for playing time, rather than the other outside starter, Sean Weatherspoon. Although Weatherspoon was injured for most of 2013, he had 210 tackles over the previous two seasons.

Between Weatherspoon, Bartu, Biermann, and Osi Umenyiora (another hybrid player), Shembo has an uphill battle for a starting position in 2014. Scouts have said he has the problem of being too small to be an elite pass rusher (6’1, 253 pounds) and too slow to be great in coverage (4.71 40).

However, the Falcons picked Shembo for his versatility. Even if he never becomes an elite pass rusher or coverage linebacker, he can do either job competently, making it harder for defenses to exploit. This is why Shembo fits well in Atlanta – their 3-4/4-3 mix contains hybrid looks and hybrid players. If head coach Mike Smith thinks he can both rush the passer and cover tight ends, he can be a real asset.

But if Shembo doesn’t crack the starting lineup, he can also contribute on special teams and may be used to try to boost the Falcons’ pass rush, which has been pretty dreadful. Atlanta only had 32 sacks in 2013, better than only the Bears and Jaguars. Shembo had 13 sacks in his last two years at Notre Dame, and 19.5 in his career is tied for sixth all time at Notre Dame.

He was praised by scouts for his toughness, which may allow him to overcome his height. From playing inside to setting up in a three-point stance to covering receivers, Shembo might be able to make his mark in the NFL with his versatility.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/early-rookie-prospectus-prince-shembo/feed/1Screen Shot 2014-05-14 at 8.14.34 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Chris Watthttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/early-rookie-prospectus-chris-watt/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/early-rookie-prospectus-chris-watt/#respondTue, 13 May 2014 15:29:59 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4658]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

With the 89th pick in the draft (25th of third round), the San Diego Chargers selected Notre Dame’s fifth player to be called, guard Chris Watt. Watt played 50 games at Notre Dame, often alongside Zack Martin on the left side of the line. When he was selected as the fifth Irish draft selection, no school had more picks in the draft.

I was a little worried Watt’s 2013 injuries (torn PCL and MCL) would hurt his draft stock, but he was actually picked up earlier than I thought in the third round. Many projections had him going in the fourth or fifth rounds.

He will join Manti Te’o in San Diego, but how will he fit with his new team?

The Chargers return all starting offensive linemen, so this was more of a depth pick. Barring injury, it is unlikely San Diego picked Watt with the intention of starting him right away. Rather, they are most likely grooming him to replace their aging interior linemen, especially center Nick Hardwick.

Hardwick has been with the organization since 2004 and will be 33 before the start of the season. Watt played guard at Notre Dame, but he said he’s been getting acclimated to playing center in the offseason.

Turning 31 later this year, Jeromey Clary is no youngster either at right guard. And from what I can gather, he’s not too popular with the fans in San Diego. The Chargers probably want Watt to develop into a viable replacement for either of these interior linemen, especially if he can grow into a center’s role.

Once again, Watt was a pick that bolstered depth more than addressing need, as the Chargers actually had a decent offensive line in 2013 and have it intact for next season. San Diego was fifth in sacks allowed and QB hits and converted a high percentage of short-yardage running third downs (100% to the left, 68% center, 75% right).

However, their running backs only averaged 4.0 yards per rush (21st in NFL), so the Chargers hope Watt can contribute to the run game. In announcing their pick, the Chargers praised his run blocking, versatility, and intelligence.

Even if Watt doesn’t start on day 1, I suspect he will see decent time in 2014 as the first interior lineman off the bench. Both Hardwick and Clary are in contract years, so don’t be surprised if Watt impresses the Chargers enough to solidify himself in a starting role by 2015.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/early-rookie-prospectus-chris-watt/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at 11.29.24 AMcraigjchval2014 NFL Draft Recaphttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/2014-nfl-draft-recap/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/2014-nfl-draft-recap/#commentsTue, 13 May 2014 14:13:56 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4651]]>To put it simply, the 2014 NFL Draft was a great one for the Irish as they saw eight of their former student-athletes get selected by NFL squads, all of which were chosen in the top 190 picks.

In addition to those selected in the Draft, a plethora of other former Irish football players received free agent contracts for the upcoming season.

Below you will find where each former player went in the Draft and where those who signed during free agency went and a tweet or two about their destination.

George Atkinson • Oakland Raiders • Free Agent

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/2014-nfl-draft-recap/feed/1ZachMartinDallasboyaaronsidEarly Rookie Prospectus: Louis Nixhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/early-rookie-prospectus-louis-nix/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/early-rookie-prospectus-louis-nix/#respondMon, 12 May 2014 16:10:40 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4648]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

The fourth Irish player to get picked in the draft, Louis Nix went 83rd overall (19th pick of third round) to the Houston Texans. A projected top 50 pick, Nix slipped a bit in the draft before being picked up in the third round.

As we’ve seen with Martin and Niklas, Nix was yet another former Notre Dame player to get picked despite not filling the biggest team need. After drafting Jadeveon Clowney first overall, the Texans look terrifying on the defensive line when you factor in J.J. Watt. At only 25 years old, Watt is considered by many to be the best defensive player in the NFL.

With such a stout defensive line, where does Nix fit on his new team?

2013 nose tackle starter: Earl Mitchell

Although the defensive line of the Texans might be the best in the NFL, nose tackle was a good position to bolster after losing Earl Mitchell to the Dolphins. Mitchell had 48 tackles in 2013, and his replacement, Jerrell Powe has eight total in his three-year career.

So nose tackle actually does fill a weak spot in the Texans lineup. Watt and Clowney are tremendous pass rushers, but Nix’s role will be as a run stopper. His size and strength make him a prototypical 3-4 nose tackle, which is exactly how he’ll be used in Houston.

Powe has been unimpressive in his NFL career thus far in Kansas City, so Nix has a great chance to compete for the starting role for game 1. In fact, despite Nix’s drop in the draft, the Texans traded up to get him, giving up their fourth and fifth round picks to get their new nose tackle. They saw an opportunity to get a great talent that fit their scheme perfectly.

So why did Nix drop so far? Many considered him first-round talent, especially after 2012. First off, concerns about his 2013 injuries, weight gain, and loss of production scared some teams. Knee problems, especially with big players, can raise some alarms for general managers.

But also, Nix pretty much had to go to a team with a 3-4 defensive scheme, which takes about half the teams off the board. Nix doesn’t have the skill set to be a three-technique defensive tackle, so 4-3 teams didn’t want to pick him up in the early rounds. He could conceivably play as a 4-3 nose tackle, but his play lends itself more to lining up directly over the center.

As a team that runs a 3-4, the Texans couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get Nix, a first-round talent for the price of a third-rounder. A front that includes Nix, Watt, and Clowney could be the most talented and disruptive in the league.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/early-rookie-prospectus-louis-nix/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-12 at 12.10.03 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Troy Niklashttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/early-rookie-prospectus-troy-niklas/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/early-rookie-prospectus-troy-niklas/#commentsSun, 11 May 2014 16:45:24 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4645]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

Continuing our look-in on Notre Dame draftees, the third guy we’re looking at is tight end Troy Niklas, the converted linebacker who took over for Mackey Award winner Tyler Eifert in 2013. He was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals with the 52nd overall pick (20th in the second round).

Here’s the Cardinals’ tight end situation.

2013 tight end starters: Rob Housler, Jim Dray

The Cardinals still have their top tight end from 2013 in Rob Housler, but Jim Dray went to the Browns. Other depth guys on the roster include Jake Ballard and Brett Brackett.

But Arizona did sign former Notre Dame tight end John Carlson in the offseason, giving a capable tandem with Housler. The two aren’t top-tier ends, but you don’t need exceptional tight end production when you have Larry Fitzgerald.

It might seem it will be difficult for Niklas to see time this season behind two talented players in Housler and Carlson who have starting history. But Bruce Arians runs a two-tight end system, which gives Niklas the chance to either compete for that second spot or find a place in the rotation. Because of this system, the Cardinals keep four tight ends on the roster, while most teams have either two or three.

With Housler and Carlson, tight end was not a big need for Arizona, but they chose to pick up Niklas in the second round because he was too good to pass up. Niklas didn’t have the production of his Irish predecessors, but he has only played the position for two years. And scouts were drooling over his physical tools, which could allow him to develop into an elite NFL player.

Niklas doesn’t have great top-end speed, but he moves very well for his 6’6, 270-pound frame. For a player who came to Notre Dame on the defensive side of the ball, he has good hands and blocking ability, but the latter could see some improvement at the NFL level. The general consensus is that he has all the tools to be successful if his raw talent can be refined with his rare blend of size and athleticism.

Of course, the Cardinals might also have picked up Niklas with the recent history of NFl tight ends out of Notre Dame. He joins his new teammate Carlson, as well as Tyler Eifert, Anthony Fasano, and Kyle Rudolph.

Every starting tight end for Notre Dame for the last 11 seasons has been drafted in the first or second round. They have all been productive players, especially Rudolph, the 2012 Pro Bowl MVP. Maybe the Cardinals are just playing the odds.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/early-rookie-prospectus-troy-niklas/feed/1Screen Shot 2014-05-11 at 12.44.50 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Stephon Tuitthttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/early-rookie-prospectus-stephon-tuitt/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/early-rookie-prospectus-stephon-tuitt/#respondSat, 10 May 2014 22:27:47 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4642]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

Yesterday Stephon Tuitt became the second Notre Dame player taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, picked 46th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here’s a look at how Tuitt will fit with his new team.

2013 defensive end starters: Cameron Heyward, Brett Keisel

The Steelers have not given an offer to free agent Brett Keisel, who has been in Pittsburgh since he was drafted in 2002. In addition to losing the 35-year-old defensive end, the Steelers saw Ziggy Hood go to the Jaguars and Al Woods to the Titans. Of the team’s top four defensive ends from 2013, only Cameron Heyward remains.

2013 seventh-round pick Nick Williams spent his rookie season on the injured reserve and the Steelers also have second-year player Brian Arnfelt, who was an undrafted pickup. Obviously neither player has the talent of Tuitt, and neither has a career tackle.

Barring a free agent pickup, Tuitt should be able to start at defensive end opposite Heyward. Free agent signee Cam Thomas will most likely play between them, giving the Steelers a starting defensive line with an average age of 24.

Of course, Tuitt played in a 3-4 at Notre Dame, so he should feel comfortable in the Steelers system. Tuitt has first-round talent, but injuries restricted his pro day and likely hurt his stock. When at the top of his game (see: 2012), he is a freak athlete with a lot of potential. Gaining 20 pounds in the offseason hurt his 2013 production, which saw a dip in tackles for loss and sacks.

However, as he got himself into playing shape he performed much better. Through the first three games, he had only four total tackles, but finished the year with 50. If healthy and conditioned, he fits the mold for Pittsburgh’s defensive scheme perfectly.

Scouts criticized Tuitt for not being able to shed blocks while tired, so better conditioning would allow him to wreak havoc more consistently. Pittsburgh’s own defensive line coach, John Mitchell, said if healthy, Tuitt would have been a top 10 pick.

Even if Tuitt doesn’t start, he will certain see plenty of time in the defensive line rotation, assuming he is healthy. The Steelers filled a huge need with Tuitt, and he could fit in with the defense very quickly.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/early-rookie-prospectus-stephon-tuitt/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-10 at 6.27.14 PMcraigjchvalEarly Rookie Prospectus: Zack Martinhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/early-rookie-prospectus-zack-martin/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/early-rookie-prospectus-zack-martin/#respondFri, 09 May 2014 16:22:00 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4639]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

With the 16th pick of the NFL Draft last night, the Dallas Cowboys selected former Irish left tackle Zack Martin. While people were speculating if Jerry Jones would take Johnny Manziel, possibly the least safe pick in the draft, Dallas instead went after the highly dependable Martin.

So how will the 52-game starter for Notre Dame fit with his new team? Let’s take a look at the offensive line prospects for the Cowboys.

Although guard was one area of need for the Cowboys, it certainly wasn’t their greatest. Dallas fielded a pretty decent offensive line last year, giving up 35 sacks (7th fewest in the NFL) and 54 QB hits (2nd fewest).

In general, offense was not a problem for Dallas, whose 27.4 points per game were fifth best in the NFL. The popular picks for their first-rounder were a quarterback to back up Tony Romo or someone to shore up one of the worst defenses in the league. Giving up 415.3 yards per game in 2013 was one of the worst marks in NFL history, and the loss of DeMarcus Ware won’t help.

But instead, the Cowboys picked Zack Martin, considering him too good to pass up at No. 16 in the first round. Because of his relatively short arms, Martin will likely move to guard, and if he fulfills his potential, he will possibly make Dallas’ offensive line one of the best units in the NFL.

All of the Cowboys’ 2013 starters at O-line have returned in 2014, but it’s likely Martin will bump either Ronald Leary or Mackenzy Bernadeau from the rotation. Martin could end up playing either guard position, or maybe right tackle if Doug Free moves inside.

At left tackle, the Cowboys have Tyron Smith, entering his fourth year in the NFL out of USC. Smith was a Pro Bowler last season and finished second-team All-Pro. If Martin plays left guard, he will be blocking next to one of the five or 10 best offensive tackles in the game.

Dallas is hoping Martin pans out like Travis Frederick, their first-round pick from 2013 who was panned as a reach on draft day. Instead, he started all 16 games and was chosen for the all-rookie team. With Martin, the ’Boys have three first-round picks on the offensive line, and all could potentially be playing on the left side.

But if Martin doesn’t play guard, he will go to right tackle, possibly in preparation for Doug Free playing his final year on his contract. Free has been strangely inconsistent, taking a pay cut after a horrible 2012 season only to bounce back with a strong campaign last year. Free is 30, so maybe the Cowboys will want Martin to be a long-term replacement at right tackle.

Ultimately, though, I think Martin will be the best fit at guard, where his size and arm-length won’t be as big of an issue. He also brings an athleticism and intelligence that will serve well in pulls, traps, and zone-blocking schemes.

Martin was considered one of the safest picks of the drafts, and there’s a reason he became the highest drafted Irish O-lineman since Aaron Taylor. I might be biased, but expect big things from him in Dallas.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/early-rookie-prospectus-zack-martin/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-05-09 at 12.20.38 PMcraigjchvalNFL Draft Spotlight: Louis Nix IIIhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-louis-nix-iii/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-louis-nix-iii/#respondThu, 08 May 2014 18:16:17 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4637]]>With the 2014 NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, May 8th, I thought we should give a little background on the three possible first round picks (as told to us by the pundits) from the Fighting Irish. Let’s take a look at Louis Nix III.

Louis Nix III, better known as Irish Chocolate, has been the lynchpin on the defensive front for the Irish over the past three seasons at Notre Dame. Nix may not always register eye-popping statistics, tallying 122 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, but his ability to clog the middle of the line and play the “0” technique is one that has NFL squads excited about his future in football.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-louis-nix-iii/feed/0Louis Nix IIIboyaaronsidNFL Draft Spotlight: Stephon Tuitthttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-stephon-tuitt/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-stephon-tuitt/#respondThu, 08 May 2014 18:08:21 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4634]]>With the 2014 NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, May 8th, I thought we should give a little background on the three possible first round picks (as told to us by the pundits) from the Fighting Irish. Let’s take a look at Stephon Tuitt.

Stephon Tuitt, a well-built defensive end on the stalwart Irish defense the past few years, will have a chance to make a big impact in the NFL in his first year in the League. His career at Notre Dame was one of the more productive in recent memory in terms of sacks, amassing 21.5 sacks throughout his three-year career for the Irish.

Take a look below to see what a variety of NFL Draft experts have to say about Tuitt.

Mike Mayock (NFL Network) – 30th Overall (First Round) – San Francisco 49ers
I see the 49ers trying to trade up, but if they have to stay here, Tuitt is a perfect fit in a physical division, and Justin Smith is 35 years old.

Peter King (Sports Illustrated) – 29th Overall (First Round) – New England Patriots
“Everyone I’ve talked to said some version of, “Oh, New England’s trading out.” Which I buy. I also would buy tight end Jace Amaro here. I do not buy Ra’shede Hageman. Too boom-or-bust. Tuitt’s a very strong Patriot kind of versatile tackle and 3-4 end with the ability to play outside, a la Vince Wilfork.”

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-stephon-tuitt/feed/09226191 (1)boyaaronsidNFL Draft Spotlight: Zack Martinhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-zack-martin/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/nfl-draft-spotlight-zack-martin/#respondThu, 08 May 2014 17:57:51 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4630]]>With the 2014 NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, May 8th, I thought we should give a little background on the three possible first round picks (as told to us by the pundits) from the Fighting Irish. Let’s take a look at Zack Martin.

Zack Martin, a two-time captain of the Notre Dame football squad is expecting to go early in the 2014 NFL Draft. His ability to play a variety of positions along the offensive front and his performance in the Senior Bowl has helped boost his stock up draft board after draft board.

Take a look below to see what a variety of NFL Draft experts have to say about Martin.

Mike Mayock (NFL Network) – 9th Overall (First Round) – Buffalo Bills
“Eric Ebron is possible, but I would take Martin. You can play him at tackle or guard, even center, and he’ll do it at a high level. He will help make E.J. Manuel a better quarterback.”

Scott Wright (NFLDraftCountdown) – 12th Overall (First Round) – N.Y. Giants
“Most will probably have Michigan OT Taylor Lewan, Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald or North Carolina TE Eric Ebron in this spot but I have a funny feeling the G-Men may go in a different direction. Those are all logical fits and good players that would address needs but there is always a surprise or two on Draft Day. Remember, nobody expected New York to select Justin Pugh in the first round a year ago. The Giants still have some question marks along the offensive line and Zack Martin of Notre Dame could legitimately be plugged in at tackle, guard or even center, which would give Tom Coughlin a lot of options and help them get the five best blockers on the field. Martin isn’t an incredible physical specimen or even particularly dominant but he’s a smart, steady, technically sound, battle-tested, four-year starter and may be one of the safest prospects in this entire draft at any position. That is why he may not even last this long when all is said and done and I wouldn’t be surprised to see teams attempt to trade up to secure his services since he is the last of the top tier of offensive linemen. Ebron could be difficult to pass up though, especially since there isn’t currently a starting caliber tight end on the roster. With that said there should be some intriguing options available at the position in round two, whether it be Troy Niklas of Notre Dame, Austin Seferian-Jenkins of Washington or Jace Amaro of Texas Tech. Zack Martin | Notre Dame Fighting Irish So why not Lewan? I just have a hunch Lewan’s off-the-field issues will scare away the Giants and he probably won’t last this long anyway. Why not Donald? There is no doubt the Giants love to invest in defensive linemen, even when it isn’t a major need. However, they also tend to lean toward prospects with size and athleticism in the trenches and Donald only checks one of those boxes. Don’t rule out LSU WR Odell Beckham as a darkhorse since they let Hakeem Nick walk as a free agent.

Peter King (Sports Illustrated) – 12th Overall (First Round) – N.Y. Giants
“The offensive line is being overhauled and the Giants will pounce if Martin’s there. “Most versatile lineman I’ve seen come out in the draft in the last 10 years,’’ one assistant GM tell me.”

Greg Bedard (MMQB.com) – 17th Overall (First Round) – Baltimore Ravens
“If Baltimore learned anything from last season, it’s how important it is to be strong on the offensive line. None of the in-house options at right tackle are as good as Martin, who can play anywhere.”

Peter Shrager (Fox Sports) – 12th Overall (First Round) – N.Y. Giants
“The Giants could be looking at Taylor Lewan, the two top safeties, tight end Eric Ebron and Odell Beckham, Jr. if they’re all on the board, here. But Martin is the guy. He could play either tackle, either guard, and can play center. Some sources around the league tell me the Giants aren’t even sure he’ll be there at 12. They hope he is.”

In this edition of “Wayback Wednesday” I received an assist from associate athletics director Beth Hunter. Recently, Beth moved into a new office (one of the best in the entire Department I might add) with a solid wood desk that makes the person sitting behind it look like royalty. Sorry, I digress. The whole point in letting you know about the desk is that Beth would always joke about how it could have been “Moose’s (Krause) desk.” This is where the story gets interesting.

As I mentioned, Beth recently moved into her new “luxurious” digs within the athletic department. After settling in, they began a little renovation on her office, which, when finished, will allow Beth a more efficient and useable space.

Lost in all this is the “Moose Desk.” Next week, the desk will no longer be housed in Beth’s office, so she had to clean it out.

What did Beth find in the drawer?

A 1975-1976 Notre Dame football pocket schedule.

Front

Who was Notre Dame’s athletic director that year?

None other than Moose Krause.

Could Beth’s desk have once been Moose’s? We may never know.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/30/wayback-wednesday-mooses-desk/feed/0backboyaaronsidsource: source: The Jack Nolan Trading Cardhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/the-jack-nolan-trading-card/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/the-jack-nolan-trading-card/#respondTue, 15 Apr 2014 21:42:11 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4609]]>In a partnership between Upper Deck and the University of Notre Dame, we will be presenting special Upper Deck trading cards to five members of the Irish family. First up is the voice of Notre Dame athletics, Jack Nolan (@NDJackNolan).

The Presentation

The presentation of the card to Jack Nolan was men’s basketball coach Mike Brey.

Coach Brey shows Jack his card

Coach Brey then unveils a large framed photo of Jack’s card

The Card

The front of Jack Nolan’s Upper Deck card

The back of Jack Nolan’s Upper Deck card

Who will be the next member of the Notre Dame family to receive their very own Upper Deck trading card? Send your thoughts to @NDFootball on twitter with the hashtag #NDUpperDeck and you could win some special cards from Upper Deck.

Upper Deck Notre Dame Football Box Set

Celebrate the tradition of Notre Dame Football with a comprehensive Upper Deck trading card set featuring some of the most notable names in Fighting Irish history!

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/the-jack-nolan-trading-card/feed/0Nolan2boyaaronsidsource: source: source: source: source: source: source: source: The Men in Redhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/the-men-in-red/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/the-men-in-red/#respondSat, 12 Apr 2014 22:04:22 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4589]]>Mike Franz, the official 2013-14 men’s basketball beat writer for the In The Paint blog, is currently a sophomore at Holy Cross College. Over the course of the year Mike will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and stories from inside the team circle. You can follow Mike (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

Going into the Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, there was much anticipation at the quarterback position. On one hand, you had Everett Golson making his first appearance in action at Notre Dame Stadium since last year’s Blue-Gold Game.

And on the other hand, you had Malik Zaire, who went on record saying, “There will only be one guy starting on Aug. 30th against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium, there will only be one guy out on the field, and I believe that will be me.” These two athletes thrive in competition, and it was easy to see that they were not only competing against the defense in this game, but also against each other.

In each of their first four drives in the first half – where there were normal clock stoppages – this is how the two quarterbacks matched up.

First Drive

Malik Zaire

2/3 on passing attempts for 51 yards

1 rushing attempt for -5 yards

Drive ended in a touchdown run by Cam McDaniel

Everett Golson

2/4 on passing attempts for 22 yards

3 rushing attempts for -4 yards

Drive ended in a made field goal by Kyle Brindza

Second Drive

Malik Zaire

2/2 on passing attempts for 65 yards

No rushing attempts

Drive ended in a touchdown pass from Zaire to C.J. Prosise

Everett Golson

3/3 on passing attempts for 54 yards

2 rushing attempts for 7 yards

Drive ended in a touchdown rush by Golson

Third Drive

Malik Zaire

5/6 on passing attempts for 56 yards

No rushing attempts

Drive ended in a touchdown pass from Zaire to Amir Carlisle

Everett Golson

2/5 on passing attempts for 28 yards

3 rushing attempts for 1 yard

Drive ended in a punt by Brindza

Fourth Drive

Malik Zaire

2/3 on passing attempts for 53 yards

No rushing attempts

Drive ended in a missed field goal by Brindza

Everett Golson

3/4 on passing attempts for 25 yards

1 rushing attempt for -13 yards

Drive ended in a punt by Brindza

Each quarterback scored at least one touchdown in the first half: Golson ran one in and Zaire threw two touchdown passes. I was particularly impressed with Zaire’s accuracy – almost all of his throws were right on the receivers’ hands. He should have had two more completions, but a receiver dropped an easy pass over the flat and another dropped what would have been a sure-fire touchdown.

Both quarterbacks got sacked multiple times in the first half (Golson- three times; Zaire- twice). Yet, it is hard to look at their rushing numbers critically because if a defender just gets a hand on the quarterback he is considered down. This was most evident in Zaire’s first drive when he ran out of the pocket and escaped pressure, but the referee called him down because a defender got a finger on him. Both Zaire and Golson are difficult to take down when they move out of the pocket, so with their rushing numbers it is hard to choose who ran better.

In regard to the passing game, numbers do not lie. Zaire had a better passing day in the first half, completing 15 of his 19 pass attempts. He had another drive at the end of the first half where he threw 4/5 for 34 yards, was sacked once, and the drive ended in a missed field goal by Brindza. Golson was no slouch though. He completed 10 of his 16 passing attempts for 129 yards.

If I had to choose a quarterback right now to start against Rice on August 30th, it would be Zaire. He seems much more comfortable staying in the pocket to make a tough throw, and it seems like he picks things up much quicker in regards to the offensive scheme of things. Nevetheless, these two quarterbacks are extremely talented and both will be competing for that starting spot up until the week of that Rice game.

However, having two talented, quick quarterbacks with tremendous arm strength vying for the starting spot is not a bad problem to have.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/the-men-in-red/feed/051c1c8ad8557e.image_mfranz13Blue-Gold Game: Recaphttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/blue-gold-game-recap/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/blue-gold-game-recap/#respondSat, 12 Apr 2014 19:41:00 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4601]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

It was a beautiful day in South Bend today, with temperatures close to 70, and 29,000 spectators came out to watch the 85th Annual Blue-Gold Spring Game. After exploding in the first half for a 57-15 lead, the offense (“Blue”) gave up ground to the defense (“Gold”) in the second, hanging on to win 63-58. Here were the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams in our last glimpse of Notre Dame football before August.

Offense

The offensive fireworks of the first half were the big story, with Malik Zaire and Everett Golson combining for 446 yards and two touchdowns for the game. Zaire was the player of the game, going 18-25 for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Neither quarterback committed a turnover.

With the heavy premium on the pass, it didn’t look like it will be the offense we will necessarily see this fall. I know Kelly likes to pass, but 29 rushes by running backs out of 100 plays isn’t nearly as high as we’ll see in the season. This game was about getting quarterbacks acclimated, and they looked very good.

Strengths

Obviously, quarterback play was the news item of the day. Both Golson and Zaire looked comfortable and putting up great numbers. They were efficient even throwing a lot of bombs and with several dropped passes. With a running quarterback system, the risk of injury makes the backup that much more important, and Malik Zaire looked more than capable. His proclamations of winning the starting job look possible, and even Kelly admitted after the game that he’ll have to settle on a starter.

I actually thought the running backs were even more impressive. Their numbers on the ground were good – 29 carries for 178 yards, and Greg Bryant dazzled with his 51-yard burst. But they also proved to be great weapons in the passing game. Folston and McDaniel made some great catches downfield, and all of them ran successful screen plays. We didn’t see a lot of running back screens last year, and it looks like it might be a part of the playbook for 2014. If so, it will be a huge asset for an offense that struggled in short-yardage situations. The group also picked up blocks solidly in pass protection.

Weaknesses

After the game Kelly said he was impressed with the play of the wide receivers, but a disappointing number of dropped passes stalled the offense at times. There is a lot of youth and depth at wide receiver, but it will probably be the weakness of this offense. Assuming DaVaris Daniels re-enrolls, the unit should look better in the fall. That’s not to say the receivers didn’t make some great plays, however. Corey Robinson had some impressive snags, and C.J. Prosise showed off some speed with a 39-yard touchdown reception in the 1st quarter.

Pass protection was a bit of an issue today, with eight sacks and probably a few more if the quarterbacks were live. I know a couple linemen are hurt, and there’s a lot of talent in the offensive line corps. Harry Hiestand created one of the best pass-protecting units in the country last season, so I’m not too worried about this issue persisting. Part of the problem was also pocket presence by the quarterbacks, who didn’t always know when to get rid of the ball.

Defense

After getting lit up in the first half, the defense made it a game in the second, ultimately losing 63-58. Brian Kelly admitted at halftime that the defense was “dialed down” a bit because the goal of the scrimmage was to get the quarterbacks comfortable.

The secondary played very loose off the line, and there was rarely, if ever, a unit that looked like it will be the starting group come August 30. Kelly mentioned Sheldon Day, Jaylon Smith, and Max Redfield as guys who played limited minutes to see what some of the other players could do.

Strengths

I was impressed with the pressure the line forced at times. There were eight sacks in the game, and there would have been a few more if the quarterbacks were live. Romeo Okwara especially looked good in the pass rush, collecting three sacks from his new position on the line.

And after the secondary struggled in the first half, I thought they recovered well later in the game with coverage of the deep ball. Cole Luke and Elijah Shumate made a couple of nice plays to break up passes downfield.

Weaknesses

Although the defensive backs recovered well to stop deep throws, Golson and Zaire were able to exploit their coverage of short routes. Running backs and tight ends kept getting open in the middle, combining for 16 receptions in the first half out of 25. Linebackers will have to improve their coverage before the fall, but it will help having Ben Councell back and Jaylon Smith playing the whole game. Those two will be key in linebacker coverage.

Running backs only carried the ball 29 times in the game out of 100 plays, so the defense was probably not playing the run a whole lot. But when the offense did keep it on the ground, they ran at will, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. There was only one big play, a spectacular 51 yard run by Greg Bryant, but the running backs consistently found good yardage when their numbers were called. Although the defensive front looked good in forcing pressure, it looks like playing the run will be an area of improvement.

It will be a long four and a half months of anticipation before we see what this team can do against actual competition. This is a very young group, and they will continue to get better over the summer.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/blue-gold-game-recap/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-04-12 at 3.40.01 PMcraigjchvalBlue-Gold Game: Defensive Previewhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/blue-gold-game-defensive-preview/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/blue-gold-game-defensive-preview/#respondFri, 11 Apr 2014 19:48:16 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4586]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

The annual Blue-Gold Game is tomorrow, and I’m sure Irish fans are eager to get the first glimpse of football since December 28th. The spring game can be informative, entertaining, and sometimes even grossly misleading. For every 2012 Everett Golson performance, there’s a 2007 Junior Jabbie one. My advice is not to get too high or low on the game – just use it as an opportunity to see how new players and schemes look.

Of course, the defense is going to have plenty to watch then. A new coordinator and players to replace Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt, Dan Fox, Carlo Calabrese, Prince Shembo, and Bennett Jackson offer a lot of unknowns for the 2014 Notre Dame team. Here’s a breakdown of each unit and what to watch for tomorrow.

* – indicates an incoming freshman not on the current roster for Blue-Gold

Defensive Line

#91 – Sheldon Day – Junior

#11 – Ishaq Williams – Senior^

#45 – Romeo Okwara – Junior^

#94 – Jarron Jones – Junior

#69 – Tony Springmann – Senior

#90 – Isaac Rochell – Sophomore

#53 – Justin Utupo – Graduate Student

#56 – Anthony Rabasa – Senior^

#50 – Chase Hounshell – Senior

#89 – Jacob Matuska – Sophomore

#98 – Andrew Trumbetti – Freshman

#73 – Scott Kingsley – Senior

#95 – Marquis Dickerson – Sophomore

#97 – Patrick Mazza – Sophomore

*Jay Hayes – Freshman

*Daniel Cage – Freshman

*Grant Blankenship – Freshman

*Jonathan Bonner – Freshman

*Jhonathon Williams – Freshman

*Pete Mokwuah – Freshman

^ – Listed as outside linebacker

Like many position groups for the Irish, the defensive line has a great deal of depth. That’s not to say they’re lacking in talent, though. Among the upperclassmen, Ishaq Williams, Sheldon Day, and Jarron Jones were heralded four- and five-star pickups.

Similar to the wide receivers, there isn’t a lot of returning production – Only Day (56), Williams (45), and Okwara (26) have more than 20 career tackles – but there is certainly the potential for any number of guys to step up.

A huge factor in the defensive line will be how much the team plays in 4-3, which is expected under new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder. Guys like Okwara and Williams will move from the “cat” linebacker position to a full-fledged defensive end in the 4-3 set. While Williams has spent most of his Notre Dame career as a third-down pass rusher, a starting spot at defensive end could bring out his talent.

Most people expected the 2012 defense to be good, but I’m not sure anyone foresaw the unit becoming one of the best in the country. One of the most overlooked components of that jump was the unexpected production of the second-team defensive line.

Everyone knew about Kapron Lewis-Moore, Louis Nix, and Stephon Tuitt, but the surprise was how good Tony Springmann, Kona Schwenke, and Sheldon Day were. With the talent and experience among the depth line guys, this year finding a combo like that again would be huge – and very possible.

Player to watch at Blue-Gold:

I’m going to cheat a bit here and say both defensive ends: Ishaq Williams and Romeo Okwara. How adept is the pair at their new position and what will happen when Notre Dame switches between defensive schemes? Can Williams’ complement his proven pass-rushing abilities with an all-around game?

Linebacker

#9 – Jaylon Smith – Sophomore

#59 – Jarrett Grace – Senior

#30 – Ben Councell – Senior

#38 – Joe Schmidt – Senior

#8 – Kendall Moore – Graduate Student

#31 – John Turner – Junior

#44 – Doug Randolph – Sophomore

#17 – James Onwualu – Sophomore^

#42 – Michael Deeb – Sophomore

#52 – Austin Larkin – Sophomore

*Nyles Morgan – Freshman

*Nile Sykes – Freshman

*Kolin Hill – Freshman

*Greer Martini – Freshman

^ – Listed as safety

Well, the linebacking corps has Jaylon Smith, the best player on the defense and possibly the entire team. Despite only having one year of experience, he has the most tackles of the group with 67. But outside of Smith, linebackers might be the biggest question mark of the team.

With Jarrett Grace and Ben Councell recovering from injuries, it’s tough to tell who will be where tomorrow besides Smith. Walk-on Joe Schmidt saw time in all 13 games last year and collected 15 tackles, and Kendall Moore is returning for a fifth season. His 39 games are by far the most time seen by any of the linebackers, but he has gotten most of it on special teams.

John Turner is a converted defensive back and James Onwualu is a receiver-turned safety-turned linebacker. Randolph was a highly regarded recruit who sat out his freshman year, so he has the potential to make an impact. Basically what I’m saying is I have no idea what the linebackers will look like tomorrow.

And speaking of big recruits, don’t be surprised to see some freshman fill in holes during the season. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to for Blue-Gold.

Once Councell and Grace are 100 percent, the linebackers will look a lot more polished, but for now watch the talent of the youngsters, who dominate the makeup of this group.

Player to watch at Blue-Gold:

So I’m going to go with Doug Randolph. We know how good Smith is, but we’ve never seen Randolph in action. The coaches have raved about his mix of size and athleticism, and with Grace and Councell out, he should have plenty of chances to show off his talent tomorrow.

Cornerback

#6 – KeiVarae Russell – Junior

#3 – Cole Luke – Sophomore

#41 – Matthias Farley – Senior

#21 – Jalen Brown – Senior

#12 – Devin Butler – Sophomore

#24 – Josh Atkinson – Senior

#47 – Connor Cavalaris – Senior

#34 – Jesse Bongiovi – Sophomore

*Nick Watkins – Freshman

I think cornerback will be a real strength of this defense. KeiVarae Russell is entering his third year as a starter and has shown tremendous ability and athleticism over the last two years. Since he is a converted running back, expect his growth to continue as he becomes more comfortable in the defensive backfield.

Cole Luke saw significant time as a freshman last year, playing in all 13 games while recording 15 tackles and two pass deflections. With VanGorder’s aggressive defensive scheme, expect these two to be involved in a lot of exciting packages. With their speed on the edge, opposing defenses might get some headaches while trying to deal with them.

And of course, there is converted safety Matthias Farley, who has started the last two years in the defensive backfield. And Devin Butler will continue to get on the field after playing in 12 games as a freshman last season. Jalen Brown and Josh Atkinson should also prove capable backups as seniors.

The defensive backfield is usually the position where you can see freshmen in occasional scenarios, so don’t forget about talented newcomer Nick Watkins when he arrives in the fall.

VanGorder’s defense is likely to be more complicated than Bob Diaco’s usual two-deep sets, so expect a lot more man-to-man coverage. I have a feeling the coaches will expect more from the corners than years past, both in athletic ability and on-field IQ. As a strength of the team, they might be relied upon to mix things up in scheme.

Player to watch at Blue-Gold:

Even though he got on the field at times last year, I’m excited to see how Cole Luke handles his likely upgrade in playing time in 2014. Watch how he does in man-to-man, how he covers the edge, and even if VanGorder throws a few blitzes his way.

Safety

#28 – Austin Collinsworth – Graduate Student

#10 – Max Redfield – Sophomore

#22 – Elijah Shumate – Junior

#4 – Eilar Hardy – Senior

#29 – Nicky Baratti – Junior

#37 – Ernie Soto – Senior

#46 – Eamon McOsker – Junior

#17 – Tyler Price – Sophomore

#39 – Drew Recker – Sophomore

*Drue Tranquill – Freshman

Thanks to an unfortunate slew of injuries last season, there is a good number of safeties on the depth chart who have seen significant minutes for the Irish. After playing in all 13 games his freshman year, Nicky Baratti missed all of 2013 with an injury, and there are four other guys who last season.

Collinsworth is the leader of the pack with 68 tackles, including 43 last season. Max Redfield has apparently seen a lot of first-team reps this spring, which is a good sign with his exceptional talent. A five-star recruit in high school, Redfield was one of the jewels of the 2013 class.

Another big-time talent, Elijah Shumate missed a couple games last year with an injury, but he has seemingly always been in the safety mix the last couple seasons, especially in nickel packages.

And Eilar Hardy came seemingly out of nowhere last year. Hampered by a knee injury early in his career, Hardy filled in the depleted defensive backfield admirably in 2013, recording 26 tackles on the season. Now healthy and with a year of experience on the field, look for him to continue to contribute.

Like the cornerbacks, expect the safeties to have a lot more varying responsibilities this year than last. Between blitzes, man coverage, and working in different packages, it’s a lot more to take in than the safeties have been used to. In the spring game, watch how all the safeties deal with these challenges and if there are any breakdowns.

Player to watch at Blue-Gold:

This one’s a no-brainer with Max Redfield hopefully seeing a lot of time in the defense. Most of his experience last season came on special teams, so see how he especially takes in VanGorder’s defense. If he can get the hang of the system, watch out for him to be a game-changer for this unit in 2014.

Remember, to get an early outlook into the 2014 season, come to the Blue-Gold Game tomorrow, Saturday, April 12 at 12:30 p.m., or tune in to NBC Sports.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/blue-gold-game-defensive-preview/feed/0Screen Shot 2014-04-11 at 3.46.45 PMcraigjchvalTaking In #HelmetFridayhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/taking-in-helmetfriday/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/taking-in-helmetfriday/#respondFri, 11 Apr 2014 13:57:32 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4583]]>If you follow my @NDSportsBlogger account on twitter or @NDFootball, you probably notice that every once in a while we tweet about #HelmetFriday. What is #HelmetFriday you ask? Well, it’s simple.

Steps to #HelmetFriday:

1. See if @NDSportsBlogger or @NDFootball mentions #HelmetFriday on twitter

2. If you’re in town, tweet at us where you want to meet and when

3. If we have an opening, we will meet you with an authentic Notre Dame football helmet so you can take photos with it and try it on if you want

4. Post the photos on twitter with the hashtag – #HelmetFriday

Take a look at some of our more memorable #HelmetFriday moments from the 2013 season below:

We look forward to spending #HelmetFriday with you in 2014 (or during the Blue-Gold game this weekend)!

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/taking-in-helmetfriday/feed/0BAboyaaronsidBlue-Gold Game: Offensive Previewhttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/blue-gold-game-offensive-preview/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/blue-gold-game-offensive-preview/#respondFri, 04 Apr 2014 22:45:44 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4578]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

The football team has one more week of spring practice before the Blue-Gold Game, and the squad is using its limited amount of time to make some heavy adjustments from the previous season. There’s a new offensive coordinator, a new defensive coordinator, a new quarterbacks coach, and a newish quarterback in returning starter Everett Golson.

For fans attending the Blue-Gold Game, the team might look a little different from when they last watched the Irish. Here’s a rundown of what the offense might look like next weekend.

* – indicates an incoming freshman not on the current roster for Blue-Gold

Quarterback

#5 – Everett Golson – Senior

#8 – Malik Zaire – Sophomore

#6 – Charlie Fiessinger – Senior

*DeShone Kizer – Freshman

Golson talked to the media today about the new-look Irish offense and his re-acclimation to the team. The 2014 Irish will be without Tommy Rees, but many have speculated that Golson will be able to build off his solid end of the 2012 season despite his time away. His lessons with “quarterback guru” George Whitfield may have done a lot for his fundamentals.

“Coach Kelly always talks about the knowledge of the game, and I’ve become more knowledgeable about the game,” he said. “My footwork – working with Coach LeFleur and working with George – that’s improved tremendously.”

Now a senior (with one more year of eligibility after 2014), Golson may see a heavier load of responsibility this season, and watch for some new plays to utilize his strengths. At practice he mentioned the pistol formation and read-option looks, which were not a staple of the playbook in 2012.

Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer, two former four-star recruits from Ohio, look to be waiting in the wings. Although Golson is the clear starter for Notre Dame, Zaire won’t be afraid to push him in his sophomore season.

Player to watch at Blue-Gold:

I think the obvious answer here is Everett Golson, but everyone should also be very curious about what Zaire can do. But since it’s been 15 months since anybody’s seen Golson in a game, I can’t really deny that everyone’s excited to see what’s been picked up since 2012.

“I’m anxious,” Golson said of playing in Notre Dame Stadium for the first time since November, 2012. “Words can’t really describe the feeling it is coming out of that tunnel. You anticipate being back out there, so I can’t wait.”

Running Back

#33 – Cam McDaniel – Senior

#25 – Tarean Folston – Sophomore

#1 – Greg Bryant – Sophomore

#3 – Amir Carlisle – Senior

#49 – Tyler Plantz – Senior

Even with the loss of George Atkinson III to the draft, the 2014 Irish running back corps is still a deep stable that blends talent and experience. Cam McDaniel was the team’s leading rusher last season, but Tarean Folston also got two starts as a freshman.

And don’t be foolish enough to count out Greg Bryant, a highly touted recruit who suffered an injury last year. Amir Carlisle is listed as both a running back and wide receiver, so he could mix up the looks at the slot position.

Golson’s only experience with this group from 2012, however, is with Cam McDaniel, who had 23 carries, all against Navy, Miami and Wake Forest. So far this spring, though, Golson has come away impressed with the depth and versatility of his new teammates.

“I think this year we got a little bit more diverse [than in 2012],” he said. “It’s pick your poison because we can spread you out and throw the ball on you or we still have it in our arsenal to really just sit down and run the ball and power it out.”

It’s going to be a tough competition between the backs this year, and don’t be surprised to see a backfield by committee, similar to last season.

Player to Watch at Blue-Gold:

One of Notre Dame’s most anticipated recruits from the class of 2013, I’m really excited to see what Greg Bryant can do. His mix of speed and power could be a sight to see for Irish fans, who only got a small glimpse of Bryant’s potential last year before his injury.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

#88 – Corey Robinson – Sophomore

#2 – Chris Brown – Junior

#20 – C.J. Prosise – Junior

#7 – William Fuller – Sophomore

#32 – Will Mahone – Junior

#16 – Torii Hunter, Jr. – Sophomore

#81 – Omar Hunter – Sophomore

#11 – Justin Brent – Freshman

#37 – Eric Lee – Senior

#46 – Josh Anderson – Junior

#35 – Cam Bryan – Junior

#86 – Buster Sheridan – Sophomore

*Corey Holmes – Freshman

#18 – Ben Koyack – Senior

#9 – Mike Heuerman – Sophomore

#80 – Durham Smythe – Sophomore

#54 – Ben Suttman – Sophomore

#39 – Luke Hamel – Freshman

*Nick Weishar – Freshman

*Tyler Luatua – Freshman

Wow, there’s a lot of youth, depth, and talent in the Irish receiving corps. That brings a large degree of excitement, but also significant unknowns. And keep in mind the above list does not include DaVaris Daniels, who is suspended for the spring semester.

All the wide receivers and tight ends on the roster, there are 53 career receptions for six touchdowns. Daniels has 80 career receptions for seven touchdowns.

The inexperience of the receiving corps could be a concern, but it is certainly talented and deep. There are a number of guys who could have a breakout year, and I think it starts with Corey Robinson, who showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman in 2013.

The other question mark has again to do with the lack of experience this group has with the man throwing them the ball. Of everyone on the list, only Koyack and Brown had reception in 2012, and there were only five of them. Of course, you probably remember Brown’s 50-yard reception against Oklahoma.

“I’m throwing to a whole different group of guys than I was two years ago,” Golson said. “It’s been good. It’s a process, and you’ve got to treat it as just that. You’re going to have ups and downs but you’ve got to keep confident that everything’s going to take care of itself.”

Player to Watch at Blue-Gold:

I already mentioned Corey Robinson, but I’m going to have to go with Chris Brown. Almost every Irish fan knows about his speed by now, and it will be great to see if he can get to balls with some zip on them, as Golson has a stronger arm than Tommy Rees. Can Brown supplement his speed with some route running, deceptiveness, and catching ability?

Offensive Line

#74 – Christian Lombard – Graduate Student

#72 – Nick Martin – Senior

#78 – Ronnie Stanley – Junior

#65 – Conor Hanratty – Senior

#79 – Steve Elmer – Sophomore

#77 – Matt Hegarty – Senior

#60 – John Montelus – Sophomore

#68 – Mike McGlinchey – Sophomore

#70 – Hunter Bivin – Sophomore

#75 – Mark Harrell – Junior

#62 – Colin McGovern – Sophomore

*Quentin Nelson – Freshman

*Alex Bars – Freshman

*Sam Mustipher – Freshman

*Jimmy Byrne – Freshman

Perhaps the strength of the team, the offensive line has a great mix of experience and youth and is chock-full of talent. The biggest question mark will be how to replace the left side of Zack Martin and Chris Watt, who started a combined 89 games in their storied careers.

The leader of the group is Christian Lombard, who will not play in the Blue-Gold Game after a March wrist surgery.

And I hate to keep beating this horse, but Lombard is the only returning starter from the 2012 team, giving Golson yet another personnel adjustment. However, he was extremely complimentary of his protectors on the line.

“The O-line, they’re doing a great job honing into their protections, sometimes even checking things when I don’t even have to say anything,” he said. “I think they’re doing a great job.”

While dealing with injuries to Martin and Lombard, Golson has gotten a glimpse of the type of young depth the future of the Irish offensive line has to work with.

With only 13 sacks allowed on the year, the offensive line was one of the brightest spots of the 2013 season. Martin and Watt are tough to replace, but look for another stalwart unit under coach Harry Hiestand.

Player to Watch at Blue-Gold:

After sitting his freshman year out, sophomore Mike McGlinchey might be called on to do some big things this season. But it’s hard to tell with the large sophomore class exactly who has the potential to step up. Any one of them could emerge before the fall as someone who can take important minutes.

Remember, to get an early outlook into the 2014 season, come to the Blue-Gold Game Saturday, April 12 at 12:30 p.m., or tune in to NBC Sports.

I had the opportunity to have inside-access to Pro Day, which allowed me to see the players go through their entire workouts, beginning at 10:30 A.M. (ET). Many players stood out to me and had great workouts, but I want to focus on former Irish signal caller Tommy Rees.

While I was watching Rees go through his passing tree, I struck up a conversation with an unnamed NFL scout about his thoughts on one of the more accurate Irish quarterbacks in program history.

(The quotes below are from notes I took during the conversation and after Rees’ performance was complete)

“Rees helped himself today with his performance in the workouts,” the unnamed scout said. He went on to say that he “expects Rees to find a home for camp.”

Connecting on 32 of 34 passes during the quarterback portion of Pro Day, Rees showed off his ability to throw the deep ball.

“I’m pleasantly surprised to see his (Rees) arm strength throwing towards the boundaries,” the same scout went on to talk about how many people don’t recognize that Rees’s release on his deep routes is quick and efficient and his release is relatively similar no matter what pattern he is throwing.

Broad Jump: 8’9″

40-Yard Dash: 5.09 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle Run: 4.54 seconds

3-Cone Drill (L-Cone): 7.32 seconds

For more information on Thursday’s Pro Day, including numbers and notes from all Irish players who participated, click here.

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/rees-shines-at-ndproday/feed/3NCAA Football: Notre Dame at MichiganboyaaronsidSpring (Practice) Has Sprunghttps://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/spring-practice-has-sprung/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/spring-practice-has-sprung/#respondTue, 04 Mar 2014 21:53:04 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4568]]>After a tumultuous 9-4 season that culminated in a New Era Pinstripe Bowl victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knight at Yankee Stadium in New York, the Notre Dame football team got back on the practice field as one on Monday, March 3.

During the practice, the Irish worked through a variety of drills in helmets only.

Take a quick look at the first full spring practice of 2014 for the Irish below –

A semester away from the University changed quarterback Everett Golson not only mentally, but physically as well. Throughout practice he looked like a much stronger and more efficient quarterback. According to weight reports, he put on at least 10 pounds from his previous playing weight at Notre Dame.

Check out Golson’s first meeting with the media since he returned to Notre Dame –

Lastly, hear what head football coach Brian Kelly had to say about Notre Dame’s first spring practice of 2014 –

]]>https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/spring-practice-has-sprung/feed/0fballpracticeboyaaronsidND Rank: #1-5https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/nd-rank-1-5/
https://ndfootball.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/nd-rank-1-5/#commentsMon, 03 Mar 2014 00:16:44 +0000http://ndfootball.wordpress.com/?p=4549]]>Craig Chval, the official 2013 football beat writer for the Strong & True blog, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame. Over the course of the year Craig will bring you insight from within the student section, interviews with Fighting Irish players and previews of each game. You can follow Craig (and the rest of the Notre Dame student beat writing staff) on twitter at @JrNDBloggers.

This is it. I started this series nearly four months ago, and we’re finally to the top five. I’ve spent those four months going back on forth on who should be No. 1. For me it’s always been between two players, and I’ve landed on my answer. What’s yours?

I could write a longer intro, but that’s not why you’re here. Your final five of ND Rank:

With the evolution of football over the last century, it’s hard to find World War II-era quarterbacks with any passing records. Angelo Bertelli had 318 career passing attempts, for crying out loud. That’s both weekends of a fall break for recent Irish teams.*

But somehow Bertelli still ranks eighth all-time in career passing touchdowns in Notre Dame history with 28. He held that record for 27 years, until Joe Theismann broke it in 1970 with 31. All the players ahead of those two played in the ‘90s or later.

In 1943 Bertelli won the Heisman (Notre Dame’s first) with 36 passing attempts. Having so few passes removes him from qualification for many records, but his 69.4% percentage that year would be the best all-time (ahead of Jimmy Clausen’s 68.0% in 2009). His 258.4 efficiency rating towers over Clausen and Bob Williams’ 161.4. To put that in perspective, Bertelli would have had to throw 10 more interceptions in a row to fall behind them.

We can keep playing this game, too. His 14.2 yards per attempts are a solid four more than Notre Dame’s all-time season leader, John Huarte. And 20.48 yards per completion easily clears Huarte’s 18.09.

Bertelli easily had the most efficient passing season in 126 years of Notre Dame history, and to tremendous results. Some consider the 1943 Irish team the best in school history. Bertelli’s squad beat seven teams ranked in the top 13, and only played three home games. Oh, and Bertelli missed the last four games after joining the Marines.

That’s right, he only played six games, only attempted 36 passes, and still won the Heisman. And to think he started his career at halfback. Leahy moved him after 1941 saying, “Bert, you’re the finest passer and the worst runner I’ve ever coached.”

Notre Dame’s only player to win the Heisman one year and finish second another, Bertelli was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972. Besides quarterbacking, he was the team’s punter and played stellar defense. His eight interceptions in 1942 are tied for third in a season in Notre Dame history.

*OK, slight exaggeration. It took Tommy Rees 11 games to hit that number in 2013. But Bertelli’s 36 attempts in his Heisman season are only eight more than Rees’ total against Michigan last year – in the second half.

The only two-time Maxwell Award winner until Tim Tebow, Johnny Lattner was another one of those jack-of-all trade players for Notre Dame. With his two Maxwell Awards (and of course Heisman Trophy), he is the only Irish player to win an award for best player in the nation two separate seasons.

When he won the Heisman in 1953, he did so despite the fact that he did not lead his team in rushing or scoring. A huge reason for that is his defense, where he was spectacular. (He did, however, set the Irish record for all-purpose yards, which wasn’t broken until Vagas Ferguson in 1979.)

His junior year he was a unanimous All-American at defensive back, and was once again a unanimous selection at back when college football shifted to a one-platoon system in ’53. His two selections make him one of four Irish players to accomplish the feat, along with Frank Carideo, Ross Browner, and Johnny Lujack.

Stats in the ‘50s weren’t kept with as much detail as they are now, so it’s hard to quantify Lattner’s defensive impact. In case you didn’t believe me, though, Sports Illustrated put him on their all-century team in 1999 as a cornerback*. He is tied for third all-time in Notre Dame history with 13 interceptions.

That’s not to say Lattner wasn’t great on offense and special teams, as well. He still ranks in the Notre Dame record books in receiving yards for a back (9th), career punts (9th), kickoff return average in a season (2nd), and kickoff return touchdowns in a season (T-1st).

*The other Notre Dame players on the team are Tim Brown, Raghib Ismail, Bill Fischer, George Connor, Johnny Lujack, Leon Hart, Ross Browner, and George Gipp.

Part of the 1950 graduating class that never lost a game, Leon Hart was a two-way monster for Frank Leahy. Usually reserved for quarterbacks and running backs, the Heisman was awarded to Hart in 1949, which 65 years later remains the last season a lineman won the trophy.

Even when football moved to separate platoons in 1949, Hart started on both sides, the only Notre Dame player to do so besides Jim Martin, his co-captain. As a four-year monogram winner, Hart was a part of three national championship teams under Leahy.

The Associated Press named him the athlete of the year in ’49, which was Jackie Robinson’s MVP season, and he won the Maxwell Award for top college football player. Hart epitomized the days of 60-minute football, and he decried the proliferation of substitutions in modern football as taking the game out of the hands of the players.

In his day, Hart was fully involved in the play calling of the defense, and it didn’t hurt that he graduated from Notre Dame with an engineering degree. However, we waited a bit to use it, playing eight seasons with the Detroit Lions and winning three NFL championships. He is one of three players to win a national championship, earn the Heisman Trophy, and be drafted first overall in the same season – along with Cam Newton and Notre Dame’s Angelo Bertelli.

A 1973 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, Leon Hart remains Notre Dame’s only player in history to make an All-American team three times and win the Heisman. There’s even video evidence of his physical domination.

#2: George Gipp – Halfback – 1917-1920

George Gipp

Consensus All-American (1920)

1918: 98 carries for 541 yards, 6 TDs

1919: 106 carries for 729 yards, 7 TDs

1920: 102 carries for 827 yards, 8 TDs

‘‘I’ve got to go, Rock. It’s all right. I’m not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys — tell them to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper. I don’t know where I’ll be then, Rock. But I’ll know about it, and I’ll be happy.’’ –George Gipp

Sometimes the legend doesn’t have to be true. (Just watch Rudy for some good old-fashioned Notre Dame tall tales.) Was Gipp actually Notre Dame’s first All-American? Did he actually catch pneumonia outside Washington Hall? Did he actually ask Rockne to tell a future Notre Dame team to “Win one for the Gipper?”

Well, Gus Dorais was Notre Dame’s first All-American, but I like to believe the rest of the story. Rockne was known for making up stories to inspire his players, but I’d be surprised if he lied about Gipp and never fessed up to it.

Part of the legend is that Gipp is the best player in Notre Dame history, if not the history of the game itself. When I started this endeavor, I kind of just penciled him in at No. 1. But is the legend true?

The best evidence is his 1920 season, which is what everyone points to. His 8.1 yards per rush is a nigh untouchable record, most closely approached by Reggie Brooks in 1992 (8.0) It’s the Irish standard of a perfect season for a running back. When your record echoes so loudly nearly 100 years later, that’s reason to pause.

Gipp’s name is scattered in the record books elsewhere, owning the record for yards per attempt of total offense in a season (the only non-quarterback anywhere near the top of the list), rushing/receiving yards per game in a career, kickoff returns in a game, and total returns in a game.

Gipp’s value was also in his versatility, leading the team in both rushing and passing in three separate seasons. He was a great punter and defensive back, collecting interceptions while rarely letting a pass get completed. He also was a tremendous baseball player, planning to play for the Cubs. Perhaps their World Series drought would only be at 80 years if he had his chance in Major League Baseball.

Of course he would not, and Gipp’s death of complications from strep throat remains one of the most tragic stories in Notre Dame lore. Everyone loves a good legend.

He is the mythical Fighting Irish player, the best Notre Dame has ever seen. Or is he? Because while we Notre Dame fans love our legends, we love something more. And that’s national championships.

I wanted to put the Gipper at No. 1. I really did. But I couldn’t. And that’s because of Johnny Lujack. Johnny Lujack and his three national championships. Johnny Lujack and his 20-1-1 record as a starter.

Lujack played three seasons for the Irish, and they won championships in all three. His career began midway through the 1943 season, when Bertelli left to join the Marines during World War II. Lujack took over for the final four games, against #3 Army (26-0 victory), #8 Northwestern (25-6 victory), #2 Iowa Pre-Flight (14-13 victory), and Great Lakes (19-14 loss). Despite the loss to Great Lakes, who finished #6 in the final polls, the Irish were declared national champions.

Missing the next two seasons to fight in the war, Lujack would return in 1946 to begin Notre Dame’s undefeated four-year run. He finished third in the Heisman that year, winning yet another championship along the way and earning unanimous All-American status.

A solid defender, Lujack preserved the title in the game against Army, making perhaps the most famous tackle in school history, a touchdown-saving takedown of reigning Heisman winner Doc Blanchard. From the Notre Dame media supplement:

‘‘They said Blanchard couldn’t be stopped one-on-one in the open field, yet I did it,’’ said an exhausted Lujack after the game. ‘‘I really can’t understand all the fuss. I simply pinned him against the sideline and dropped him with a routine tackle.’’

Notre Dame and Army tied 0-0, each team’s only game without a victory. And although Lujack lost out in the Heisman to Blanchard’s partner in the backfield, Glenn Davis, the AP named the Irish the champs.

The following season Lujack would capture both honors, going undefeated and untied in ’47 with unanimous All-American honors, a championship, and the Heisman. The only games that had margins of victory under three touchdowns were a 22-7 win over Purdue and 26-19 over Northwestern, both on the road.

At the end of his Irish career, Lujack had three national championships in three years. The only other quarterback to win more than one was Frank Carideo. He and Carideo are the only quarterbacks to be two-time unanimous All-Americans (in fact, Ralph Guglielmi is the only other QB with any).

Only Carideo has a better record among Irish signal-callers, and Carideo didn’t have to fill in for a Heisman winner in his first year, like Lujack in his only losing effort.

I understand the sentiment for Gipp, but Lujack’s résumé is too strong. The ’40s video archives are not the most abundant, but here’s Lujack’s tackle of Blanchard. Not the most overwhelming play, but here we are, still talking about it nearly 70 years later.

That’s it, Johnny Lujack is the best player in Notre Dame history, according to one 21-year-old Notre Dame student. Any arguments for other players? Arguments for Gipp that I missed? And you know I’m always ready to hear complaining about Joe Montana’s absence on the list.

This has been a four-month endeavor, and I’ve enjoyed every minute, even when everyone disagrees. I’ve learned a lot about Notre Dame football, and I hope you did too. As spring practices start up, stay tuned as the blog returns to the future of Irish football, and not just its glorious past. One last time, here’s the final ranking: